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Cited by 684Medicinal Plants and NeuroprotectionMedicinal Plant Extracts EffectsMedicinal Plants and Bioactive Compounds

Herbal extracts and phytochemicals: Plant secondary metabolites and the enhancement of human brain function

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Kennedy, David O., Wightman, Emma L.·2011·Advances in Nutrition
DOI 10.3945/an.110.000117PMC PMC3042794
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Abstract

Humans consume a wide range of foods, drugs, and dietary supplements that are derived from plants and which modify the functioning of the central nervous sytem (CNS). The psychoactive properties of these substances are attributable to the presence of plant secondary metabolites, chemicals that are not required for the immediate survival of the plant but which are synthesized to increase the fitness of the plant to survive by allowing it to interact with its environment, including pathogens and herbivorous and symbiotic insects. In many cases, the effects of these phytochemicals on the human CNS might be linked either to their ecological roles in the life of the plant or to molecular and biochemical similarities in the biology of plants and higher animals. This review assesses the current evidence for the efficacy of a range of readily available plant-based extracts and chemicals that may improve brain function and which have attracted sufficient research in this regard to reach a conclusion as to their potential effectiveness as nootropics. Many of these candidate phytochemicals/extracts can be grouped by the chemical nature of their potentially active secondary metabolite constituents into alkaloids (caffeine, nicotine), terpenes (ginkgo, ginseng, valerian, Melissa officinalis, sage), and phenolic compounds (curcumin, resveratrol, epigallocatechin-3-gallate, Hypericum perforatum, soy isoflavones). They are discussed in terms of how an increased understanding of the relationship between their ecological roles and CNS effects might further the field of natural, phytochemical drug discovery.

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  • The formation and concentration of phenols is species and stressor dependent.

    “whose formation and concentration is species and stressor dependent [22,24]”

    From Mars Regolith Simulant Ameliorated by Compost as in situ Cultivation Substrate Improves Lettuce Growth and Nutritional Aspects (2020) · cites this paper as [24]

    The Phenolics section says phenolic compounds are induced by bacterial or fungal attack, supporting stressor-dependent formation. It does not establish that their formation or concentration varies by plant species, or that concentration varies by stressor. (LLM, conf=0.84)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

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Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Kennedy, D. O., & Wightman, E. L.
Affiliations
Northumbria University (GB)
Corresponding author
Kennedy, David O.
ORCID
Kennedy, David O.
Venue
Advances in Nutrition
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2011-01
Volume
2
Issue
1
Pages
32-50
ISSN
  • 2156-5376 (ISSN-L)
  • 2161-8313
DOI
10.3945/an.110.000117
PMC
PMC3042794
OpenAlex
W2158258935
Cited by
684
References
17
Citations by year
2026: 17 · 2025: 40 · 2024: 68 · 2023: 53 · 2022: 53 · 2021: 64 · 2020: 56 · 2019: 53 · 2018: 47 · 2017: 52 · 2016: 51 · 2015: 42 · 2014: 45 · 2013: 27 · 2012: 15
FWCI
6.24
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Advances in Nutrition (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Northumbria Research Link (Northumbria University) (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Complementary and alternative medicine › Medicinal Plants and Neuroprotection
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Complementary and alternative medicine › Medicinal Plant Extracts Effects
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Medicinal Plants and Bioactive Compounds
Keywords
plant secondary metabolites, phytochemicals, nootropic drugs, brain function, central nervous system, alkaloids, caffeine, nicotine, terpenes, Ginkgo biloba, ginseng, Valeriana officinalis, lemon balm, sage, phenolic compounds, curcumin, resveratrol, epigallocatechin gallate, Hypericum perforatum, soy isoflavones, psychoactive plants, natural product drug discovery
MeSH terms
Animals, Antioxidants, Brain, Flavonoids, Panax, Humans, Insecta, Phytotherapy, Phenols, Plant Extracts, Plants, Plant Physiological Phenomena, Ginkgo biloba, Salvia officinalis, Melissa

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